Victoria East students try on letterman jacket legacy

Lydia Bast, 16, smiles at Juan Ortiz of Texas Chenille Embroidery as she shows that the sleeves on the size jacket she was trying on were too small during a letterman jacket fitting Wednesday at Victoria East High School. Lydia received her letter in soccer.
Angeli Wright
for The Victoria Advocate

A white sheet of paper fanned Nicole Levigne's face while she waited in line with her daughter outside the Victoria East High School library.

The Stroman High School alum was on break from her daily routine to see her eldest daughter, Jazzlyn Levigne, 16, a VEHS junior, get fitted for her letterman jacket.

A long line of students poured into the main corridor on the school's final day of fitting.

Before committing to Texas Chenille, the San Antonio-based embroidery company visiting each of the VISD high school campuses this past week, the mother said she wanted to shop around locally before making a decision.

"It can get expensive if you're not careful," Levigne said. "If we don't get them here, we'll probably try out Initially Yours."

Initially Yours, an area embroidery shop that has been in the Crossroads for the last 25 years, sells extracurricular patches for prices as low as $18 and name patches that range between $40 to $65.

For sequins, the shop charges an additional $10.

The Victoria school district pays $49.95 for each of the jackets and letter patch awarded to students who have met the criteria set by each individual extracurricular club or athletic organization, said Diane Boyett, VISD communications director.

"This is such an exciting time," Levigne said. "She's going to be my first child to graduate."

Jazzlyn, a member of the Air Force junior ROTC club, said she earned her jacket by placing at the junior ROTC state competition this past year.

Her mother said she remembers wearing her varsity tennis jacket back when she was at Stroman.

"I feel pretty accomplished," Jazzlyn said. "I want to put some sequins, my NHS patch and a few other girly-girl things on it."

Freshman Chase Spicak, 15, slipped into a purple letterman jacket to assist the merchant in his fitting.

"I lettered in golf," Chase said, holding up a list of other activities he's been a part of in high school.

Sophomore Querida Huerta, 16, was giddy with excitement as she made her way to the front of the line.

Querida lettered in choir and theater and had participated in the high school's district-wide production of "The Wizard of Oz."

She ordered a music note patch and requested her name be placed on the front and back of her jacket. Querida's embroidered embellishments cost her $207.29 through Texas Chenille.

"I didn't know I was going to letter until next year," Querida said. "It was a surprise when I heard I was going to get it."

Jazzlyn said she was also surprised to hear that she had earned a jacket.

"I was really happy when I found out," Jazzlyn said. "I got it from placing well in my first competition ever."

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Why letterman jackets?

"Harvard University was the genesis of the varsity letterman jacket. Beginning in 1865, the Harvard baseball team adjoined embroidered H's to their gray flannel uniforms. Only the best players were afforded the opportunity to keep their letters, and if they didn't participate, they were forced to return their jersey after the season was over."